Curtain-stretcher.



.J. s. HEBI JE Y.

CURTAIN STRETGHEB.

APPLIOATION'IILED D120. 30, 1909.

Patented May 31, 1910.

III" 1 w Qlme/xseo ANDREW a. GRAHAM c0 PHDYO-UTHOGRLPMERSWASHINGTON, n.c.

JOHN SOLOMON HEELEY, OF GALLATIN, PENNSYLVANIA.

CURTAIN-STRETCHER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 30, 1909.

Patented May 31, 1910. Serial No. 535,688.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN SOLOMON HEELEY, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Gallatin, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ourtain-St-retchers, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying draw- 1ng.

This invention relates to curtain stretchers and the object thereof is to provide a curtain stretcher in a manner as hereinafter set forth and claimed which shall be simple in its construction, strong, durable, adjustable so as to provide for various lengths and widths of the curtain, readily set up, con venient in its use, quickly adjusted, and in expensive to manufacture.

With the foregoing and other objects in View the invention consist-s in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts wherein is shown the preferred embodiment of the invention, but it is to be understood that changes variations and modifications can be resorted to which come within the scope of the claim hereunto appended.

In the drawings wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts throughout the several views-Figure 1 is a perspective view of a curtain stretcher in accordance with this invention, Fig. 2 is a sectional detail showing the manner of connecting a top or bottom bar section to an end bar section, Fig. 3 is a sectional detail illustrating the adjusting means employed for the top or bottom and end bar sections whereby the length and width of the stretcher can be varied, Fig. 4 is a detail illustrating the supporting means for the frame, Fig. 5 is a sectional detail illustrating a modified construction for coupling the bottom or top and end bar sections together, and Fig. 6 is a sectional detail illustrating a modified adjusting means as well as a modified form of top or bottom and end bar sections.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 4 of the drawings a curtain stretcher in accordance with this invention consists of a rectangular frame capable of having its length and width increased and embodying a sectional top bar, a sectional bottom bar, and a pair of sectional end bars. The sections of the top bar are indicated by the reference characters 7, 8, the sections of the bottom bar by the reference characters 9, 10, the sections of one end bar by the reference characters 11, 12, and the sections of the other end bar by the reference characters 13, 14. The inner end of each of the sections of the bars has fixed thereto an outwardly-extending supporting member 15 provided with a screwthreaded opening 16. The members 15 of each bar oppose each other and are connected together by an adjustable coupling screw 17 which extends through the threaded openings 16 of the opposing members 15 and is providedapproximately centrally thereof with an enlargement 17 provided with a slidable handle 18. By rotating the screw 17 in one directionthe sections of its respective bar are drawn toward each other and when rotating the screw 17 in the opposite direction the sections of its respective bar are moved away from each other, and by such an arrangement the frame is adjustable whereby the length and width thereof can be increased or diminished when desired. Each of the sections 11, 12, 13 and 14 is provided at its outer end with an eye 19, through the eye 19 of the section 11 extends the outer end of the section 8, through the eye 19 of the section 12 extends the outer end of the section 10, through the eye 19 of the section 13 extends the outer end of the section 7 and through the eye 19 of the section 14 extends the outer end of the section 9. Extending through the eyes 19 of the sections 11, 13 engaging the outer ends of the sections 7 8 are cotter pins 21 and extending through the eyes 19 of the sections 12, 14 and engaging the outer ends of the sections 10, 9, are the cotter pins 21. The foregoing arrangement is utilized for connecting the four corners of the devlce together. Pivoted to the sections 11, 13 of the end bars as at 22 are inclined brace members 23 for supporting the stretcher at an inclination, by way of example, in the manner as shown in Fig. 1.

Referring to Fig. 5 of the drawings a modified form is shown for connecting the sections of a top bar or for connecting the sections of the bottom bar to the sections of the end bars, and which consists of an elbow 24 provided with sockets 25 for the reception of the ends of the sections of the bars and extending through the elbow 24 and the ends of the sections of the bars are cotter pins 26 whereby the bars are connected together.

Referring to Fig. 6 a modified form of bar sections is illustrated and the members 15 for the adjustable coupling screw 17 are dispensed with. The bar sections are indi cated by the reference characters 27 and 28 and each is of tubular formation with its inner end closed as at 29 and formed with a screw-threaded opening 30 through which extends the adjustable coupling screw 31 provided centrally thereof with an enlargement 33 having aslidable handle 32. By rotating the screw 31 in one direction sections 27, 28 will be moved toward each other, by rotating the screw 31 in the opposite direction the sections 27, 28 will be moved away from each other, the adjusting screw 31 extends within the hollow sections 27, 28 as clearly shown in Fig. 6.

Each of the bar sections whether they be of the form shown in Fig. 1 or as shown in Fig. 6 is provided with a plurality of attaching hooks for the curtain. A form of attaching hooks is illustrated in Fig. 1 and indicated by the reference character 33. The hooks carried by the sections of the end bars are disposed at right angles with respect to the hooks carried by the sections of the top and bottom bars.

What I claim is:

A curtain stretcher comprising a top, a

bottom, and a pair of end bars, each of said bars formed of a pair of sections, an outwardly-extending right-angularly disposed supporting member carried by the inner end of each of the sections of each of the bars and having its outer end formed with a screw-threaded opening, the members carried by the sections of each bar opposing each other, means for connecting the outer ends of each of the sections of the top and bottom bars to the outer ends of the sections of the end bars, an adjustable coupling screw extending through the screw-threaded openings of each set of opposed end members and provided with an enlarged central portion formed with an opening, a shiftable handle extending through the opening of the said enlarged central portion and having each of its ends enlarged, a series of inwardly-extending and spaced curtain attaching hooks carried by each of the sections of each of said bars, and a brace member pivoted to the upper section of each of the end bars.-

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN SOLOMON HEELEY.

Witnesses:

J. H. BATH, LOUIS BERWIGK. 

